Terrestrial Ecology

Environmental sensor networks and similar technologies are becoming more ubiquitious in terrestrial field ecology for their ability to continuously record environmental variables. Common environmental sensors used at the Sevilleta include air and soil temperature, soil moisture, soil CO2, relatively humidity, photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), wind speed and direction, and barometric pressure. Potential projects could include the installation of a small sensor network, complete with a datalogger, solar power, and wireless telemetry to examine an ecological question. No prior experience in these technologies are required, but the student will be expected to participate in a week-long summer workshop at the Sevilleta Field Station to learn how to implement these technologies in the field. This workshop is eligible for course credit and provides a unique opportunity for students interested in using technology for terrestrial ecology applications. (Mentors: Renee F. Brown, Scott Collins, Donald Natvig)